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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29960967">Finding Bucky Barnes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/roguefaerie/pseuds/roguefaerie'>roguefaerie</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Telepathic Bucky and Clint [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel, Marvel 616</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Brief Hulk, Deaf Character, Deaf Clint Barton, Domestic Avengers, Hurt Bucky Barnes, Hurt Clint Barton, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Off-Screen Hydra Characters (on purpose), Off-Screen Sci-Fi Torture, Past Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers, Possible Bucky/Clint/Steve, Protective Avengers, Rescue, Rescue Missions, Telepathic Bond, Telepathy, Timeline What Timeline, Touch-Starved, Trust, if you want it and you squint it is there, otherwise it's Bucky/Clint</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 01:55:34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,632</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29960967</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/roguefaerie/pseuds/roguefaerie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Clint may be a blank slate when it comes to communicating with Bucky from wherever he is inside Hydra controlled territory.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James "Bucky" Barnes/Clint Barton</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Telepathic Bucky and Clint [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2221893</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>65</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He had to get out. And if he couldn’t physically do so, he would do anything in his power to survive in another way. And so it was that from behind the walls of Hydra, Bucky reached <em>forward</em> and waited for his thoughts to land somewhere--</p><p>
  <em>help</em>
</p><p>He thought of what he knew, distantly. That outside of the walls there were people he could call friend. There was Steve. And where Steve went, others followed, just like Bucky had been drawn in toward him. There was something about Steve that made everyone around him want to be better people.</p><p>And Bucky could still remember him, remember that he called him Bucky and regarded him as a friend, not an experiment.</p><p>Somewhere out there was Steve and whoever Steve called friend.</p><p>And with this knowledge Bucky reached.</p><p>***</p><p>
  <em>help</em>
</p><p>The thought wasn’t a word. It wasn’t audible. It was a gut-wrenching feeling that woke Clint Barton out of sleep. His muscles were clenched and sore. He felt foggy and distant from who he was--the guy with the dog and the bow and arrow. He felt--consumed.</p><p>He would have to find the origin of the distress call.</p><p>
  <em>please</em>
</p><p>The thought, that ricocheted through his body as if making a home there, in Clint’s very flesh, was softer. Softer because the person barely expected it to be answered?</p><p>Clint felt the desperation and knew that this didn’t belong to him.</p><p>But he knew just as well that he was going to find the source.</p><p>He liked having his body to himself. Secondary sensations were not something he had expected to wake up to on a Monday morning. </p><p>He had no other choice than to find the source.</p><p>He reached forward and had a split second to make a decision to hold on or let go.</p><p>He chose to hold on.</p><p>Thoughts kept pinging around in his head, frantic and pleading and in a much more desperate search than he was in right now. That was how he could tell that they weren’t his.</p><p>Also, because he wasn’t a person who actually thought in verbal English, so the marquee his brain suddenly supplied with English running across it? </p><p>Yeah. Definitely not his.</p><p>He would not freak out.</p><p>He did wish for a visual way to see whoever it was who had reached out desperately in his direction.</p><p><em>My name is--</em> the marquee started up (red lightbulbs everywhere--danger, danger-- and he wondered how brains decided things like that so quickly but he didn’t have time to think on it long. His vision was busy trying to find a lead on anything, instead. Even if it was all inside his head.</p><p>
  <em>My name is--</em>
</p><p>Shit. In another second he was going to find out who was both desperate and powerful enough to make all of this happen.</p><p>Maybe he already had an idea in the back of his head and he did not like--</p><p>
  <em>My name is--</em>
</p><p>And then.</p><p>There it was.</p><p>
  <em>--Bucky Barnes</em>
</p><p>Clint shivered, and then his inner eyes engaged on the target. Above Bucky’s head, the marquee sped up. </p><p><em>My-name-is-Bucky-Barnes-my-name-is-Bucky-Barnes</em>.</p><p>Bucky was skin and bones, and he was in a room that looked more like a cell than anything else. Clint used his keen eyes to try to memorize every detail of it, and when he was done he yanked himself out of the visual representation of where Bucky was.</p><p>The thread of Bucky’s thoughts stayed in Clint’s mind. He didn’t know how long that would be true for, but he knew the next thing he had to do.</p><p>He needed to tell Steve. Steve needed to know.</p><p>***</p><p>For a guy from a different century from the one they were in now, Clint had to hand it to Steve Rogers. He answered his texts promptly.</p><p>Maybe Steve felt what was going on too. That would make sense. That would be about the only thing here making sense.</p><p>- Steve, man. I gotta tell you something.<br/>
- hey Clint what’s up?<br/>
- This is going to sound completely out of left field because it is, I know it is, but I think I know where Bucky is.</p><p>Then there was a pause.</p><p>- What?<br/>
- I um, can you get on video chat?</p><p>He imagined anyone other than Steve Rogers would sigh at the concept of more video chat. But it had been a number of years by now, and Steve hadn’t forgotten his past, or anything that it meant. He still moved through the world as a disabled person. He knew who his community was. So, Steve had been Clint’s sign interpreter for all the years they’d known each other and he knew when Clint needed to express something big this was what they did.</p><p>He just had no idea how big the thing was that Clint was about to sign to him, and Clint definitely felt it was something they should discuss face to face as it were.</p><p>Five seconds later his video chat went off and there was Steve, looking shocked and harried. Still, he let Clint start signing first.</p><p>Steve knew Clint had a story to tell and that there was only one way to get it out of him.</p><p>Clint started to sign. He went as fast as he knew the video chat would be able to keep up. There would always be some lag, but he knew that Steve was also practiced at that. Even if Steve’s eyes were bright and wild as he watched Clint explain.</p><p>Clint signed: <em>He called for help. I don’t know how it worked--you’re the big superhero guy on call. Except…. It was me this time--maybe I just--had no busy signal.</em></p><p>Steve started signing back.</p><p><em>I can think of a couple reasons he wouldn’t exactly be looking for me</em>, he said. <em>It’s not like I’ve been able to--this whole time--</em></p><p>
  <em>STEVE. I think he is, man, that’s the whole point. But I...I’m like a blank canvas. He’s pretty out of it, and all he seems to be able to do is he’s trying to hold on to his name. The one you gave him, Steve. He’s trying to remember that he’s Bucky. And if I can keep hold of him I think we can find him.</em>
</p><p><em>Yeah I-- I hear you</em> Steve signed back, even though he looked far-away and unfocused.</p><p><em>Steve</em>.</p><p>
  <em>How did you…</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He needed help. He needs--</em>
</p><p>Steve brightened. <em>We gotta go get him. Holy shit, Clint. We can go get him, can’t we?</em></p><p>
  <em>I think--</em>
</p><p>The marquee flashed brighter red, the color of fresh blood in a wound. <em>HELP.</em> And next came a pain unlike anything Clint had ever felt. </p><p>Electricity.</p><p>He didn’t know if Bucky knew anyone heard him. He didn’t know if Steve would know what to do. He couldn’t stay upright anymore under the force of what he felt.</p><p>Everything went black.</p><p>***</p><p>He woke up to several Avengers in street clothes huddled around him as he lay on the floor.</p><p>Shit.</p><p>He raised his hands to start to sign but everything hurt an extraordinary amount.</p><p>The marquee was still there.</p><p>It was still. But three words were on it, as if left like a note for him to find.</p><p>
  <em>Is someone here?</em>
</p><p>That was all Clint could process before everything went black again.</p><p>***</p><p>He had to get back to consciousness. He had to tell Steve, at least, that they were hurting Bucky, and they had to get to him fast. Sure, whatever had happened to Clint could serve as a demonstration, but who knew how much time they had left to get to Bucky?</p><p>Clint was fairly sure that he was only half conscious. Maybe not even that much. But he had to fight to get back to his friends and teammates. They would be able to do this together, but the most information about where Bucky was could be locked inside Clint’s skull so he’d have to--</p><p>Wherever he was, in whatever state of wakefulness he was at, he could still <em>feel</em> Bucky there.</p><p>There were no words where he was. He wouldn’t try to engage being bilingual. But Bucky was here somehow, or knew what he needed to do to make his presence known to Clint.</p><p>And under all the pain of whatever had been done to Bucky today there was the core of who he was.</p><p>Clint could feel that much.</p><p>He felt Bucky reach forward, again, too, and the soft feeling of Bucky’s wordless thoughts against his own.</p><p>Compared to the jolts of electricity earlier these thoughts were soft and calm and comfortable in his head.</p><p>An olive branch.</p><p>And recognition.</p><p>Clint forced himself to concentrate with all his might and blearily focused on the marquee in front of his mind’s eye.</p><p>There was one word there.</p><p>Friend.</p><p>***</p><p>The marquee belonged to Bucky, so Clint couldn’t add anything to it on his own. So he tried to focus on doing anything but feeling the pain he was in. He tried sending thoughts back Bucky’s way that still wouldn’t be in English words but would echo Bucky’s sentiments.</p><p>Yes. Clint could be a friend. And if Bucky was looking for friends of friends--</p><p>Clint did his best to send an image of Steve and amplify the feeling of “friend.”</p><p>He could almost feel Bucky smiling in return. There was no physical smile, but Clint almost felt as if laughter was about to fill up his body. He hoped it didn’t happen, though. He would be very aware of the pain if he started uncontrollably laughing.</p><p>He tried to send more gentle thoughts Bucky’s way. And then:</p><p>
  <em>I am Bucky Barnes.</em>
</p><p>Clint flashed another image of Steve.</p><p><em>Thank you</em>, the marquee flashed. And then again. <em>Thank YOU.</em></p><p>Something skittered across Clint’s heart. He closed his eyes.</p><p>***</p><p>He woke up to the smell of coffee and his small apartment was full of his team. He tried to deduce quickly how many people were there and it seemed like the whole crew. But then again if one or two were missing he was probably too out of it to know off the top of his head. Still, he felt warm and supported in their presence.</p><p>Steve leaned down toward him. <em>Hey, Clint</em>, he signed. <em>The gang’s all here.</em></p><p>Clint smiled weakly. <em>Avengers assemble?</em> he signed on autopilot, willing the pain into the back of his awareness. <em>Hey, Steve, thanks.</em></p><p>
  <em>We won’t leave without you. You need to be with us. And not just-- I mean-- He trusts you. He wants to see you first.</em>
</p><p>Clint blinked. But there was a distinct possibility Steve could be right.</p><p>He did know Bucky.</p><p>
  <em>Steve, don’t get maudlin. I promise I’ll do what I can to get us--</em>
</p><p><em>Do your hands hurt?</em> Steve asked.</p><p>
  <em>Yeah.</em>
</p><p>Steve nodded. <em>Save energy. You got hit bad.</em></p><p>
  <em>Not worse than Bucky. What they’re doing to him--</em>
</p><p><em>We’ll find him</em>. Steve added emphasis to his signs. <em>I know we will</em>.</p><p>***</p><p>Clint could feel that Bucky’s heart was aching. As if knowing that he needed help but being unsure if any would come for him--whether or not he knew Steve was looking.</p><p>Steve could search to the end of the earth but even in his desperation Bucky didn’t know if he should be found. If his friend needed to be put in danger to come and get him.</p><p>Clint tried to send comfort Bucky’s way. He knew that they would get to Bucky. Whether or not it would be before or after Hydra got in Bucky’s head again, he didn’t know.</p><p>Steve might not know where Bucky was right now, but he could always see who Bucky was as a person, and the stories of Bucky Barnes were passed around like mutual happy memories that Steve shared with everyone he knew.</p><p>Thoughts curled around each other in a gentle ebb and flow that would never have hinted at how much pain and anguish Bucky had already sustained. There was something about the core of him that could keep his presence light in Clint’s mind.</p><p>The marquee flashed, a gentle red this time that was nearly pink. <em>Thank you for finding me.</em> And then, slowly, as if Bucky was hesitating, <em>Will you stay?</em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I have 3 chapters of this written, and/but I can't promise chapters of any particular length or a posting schedule. I tend to be pretty fast as a writer, but am also dealing with some outside factors, so, I'll do my best.</p><p>(This one is short because I had to split one up. I have more.)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Of course, Bucky was the one who found <em>him</em> and he wasn’t sure how exactly to explain whatsoever. He thought about visualizing actual words on note paper, which he was used to writing things out on with hearing people who couldn’t sign back to him. But even easier would probably be visual images, if he could be certain Bucky could see them.</p><p>He decided to start with an image of himself. </p><p>Once he had it assembled, he might try some really basic signs, at least enough to tell Bucky that he was Deaf.</p><p>It was kind of important. But not as important as seeing if Bucky would be able to tell images were there in the first place.</p><p>So he did start with sending an image of himself.</p><p>And then he naturally started signing with it.</p><p>He registered Bucky’s surprise and then offered a shrug and felt Bucky smile back. He mimed a bit to show Bucky the truth: Bucky had reached for him.</p><p><em>I guess that’s true</em>, Bucky sent over the marquee. <em>I’m just really glad you were there. I’ve been...uh...going a bit...nuts in here.</em> He paused. <em>Hey, you know? I’m already learning what the signs mean.</em></p><p>Then it was time for Clint to smile back. It felt good on his face.</p><p>
  <em>Is that why you’re good at this? Mentally stronger than...well...me?</em>
</p><p>Hey. No. That was not a thing Clint wanted to endorse.</p><p>He shook his head. Then he just did his best to mentally enfold Bucky in as much warmth as he could possibly muster. </p><p>He waited until he could sense Bucky starting to relax.  He started to envision himself encircling Bucky so that they could do their best at sharing physical warmth. </p><p>He still didn’t feel like translating clumsily into written or spoken English, because he doubted he could convey what he wanted to half as well as he would be able to sign the same things, but he supposed that he would if he had to.</p><p>But before he could float the question formally to Bucky, he felt Bucky shake his head. <em>I’m learning the signs. Inside here, you know. Go ahead and sign. I want to learn.</em></p><p>Clint blushed a little. If there was one way to his heart, it was probably this one.</p><p>So he started to sign, and waited for an indication of whether Bucky was picking them up, or if he was confused.</p><p>Bucky settled softly near to him in his mind.</p><p><em>Tell me everything you know about where you are. Hell</em>, Clint corrected himself, <em>tell me anything you need to. I’m right here.</em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>I can’t do that. I can’t...I don’t...anyway I don’t know anything.</em>
</p><p>Oh. Shit.</p><p><em>Wait. Bucky.</em> Clint fingerspelled the name as quickly as possible and hoped for the best.</p><p>The marquee flashed darker red and then read: <em>I can’t tell you things. Anyway, when they take me anywhere they put a goddamn bag over my head. I don’t know where this is.</em></p><p><em>Bucky</em>.</p><p>
  <em>I just can’t.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Wait.</em>
</p><p>Bucky lowered his eyes and Clint expelled a sigh. Okay. He deserved this. Bucky didn’t, but he did, at this point.</p><p>He tried to encircle Bucky with calm, warm thoughts again.</p><p>
  <em>You’ll never be able to find me--because I can’t tell you anything.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>We’ll find you. I--I’ll find you. I mean, Bucky, I have… You know he’s Captain America now, right? Not just Steve?</em>
</p><p>Heavier heartache flooded in and Clint wiced. Oh. Wait. Also a bad idea.</p><p>
  <em>Yeah. I know about that. We’re...yeah.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And there’s more of us. There’s a whole team. Wait. You’re what? You can’t hear him too, can you? He never told me. I feel like he’d tell me. It’d be very...Steve. He loves talking about you.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>No. I can’t hear him. I just… Some of it I remember. He’s never going to forgive me, is he?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Bucky, he was never mad at you in the first place.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>What?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Steve can’t stay mad. You know that. But even if he could...you’re literally the last person on earth he could be mad at.</em>
</p><p>The connection shook a little bit and Clint cursed himself for saying--maybe not the wrong thing, but the wrong thing he couldn’t anticipate was the wrong thing anyway.</p><p>
  <em>Oh.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Are you okay? I can--I can go--if you--actually I don’t know if I can go, or if that’s a good idea, but we can pretend I can.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>No! I mean...don’t. Please. I just. I miss him. That was...that was my normal.</em>
</p><p><em>It’s a good normal</em>, Clint said back, relieved, and he wasn’t sure when the fluidity of all this came into the conversation, but there’s an easy back and forth that took over at some point, lightning-quick too. Clint suddenly realized they were communicating in a way that surpassed language, spoken, written, or signed. And he was completely okay with that. </p><p> </p><p>Clint  brought himself back to the matter at hand. <em>He misses you too.</em></p><p>
  <em>He still sounds like Steve.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Oh, trust me, he is one hundred percent pure Steve. Exactly how you’d imagine it.</em>
</p><p>Bucky laughed. <em>Okay. Well. I don’t know if he can find a place like this, but he knows New York well enough, better than some natives, so there’s that. I guess he knows a thing or two about Hydra by now.</em></p><p>But Bucky’s heart was still aching; Clint could tell that much.</p><p>
  <em>I’ll find  you. I’ll be able to, Bucky. I promise.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Okay.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hey Bucky. Look up. Look at me.</em>
</p><p>Bucky looked up, and their eyes met, and Clint could finally breathe again.</p><p>
  <em>And when I find you… Steve’ll be with me. I promise you that.</em>
</p><p>Bucky smiled, even if there was sadness in it. <em>I believe you.</em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>As of this writing I have what I consider to be a full draft of this fic. Full disclosure my last Bucky fic doubled in size after I decided that, and I don't know if there is a part  two to this fic. It depends a bit on editing. But in any case, the end as I understand it now is written and is being edited. Currently this is 7 chapters long of varying lengths and will be posted every other day until it's completely posted. Hopefully seven is the end, this time. :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It felt horrible resting and recuperating while it was obvious that Bucky was in trouble. So Clint tried to, but more often than not at least half of him was present with Bucky at any given time.</p><p><em>I’m not leaving</em>, he would say. Or, <em>we’re not giving up</em>, and sometimes Bucky could take that in, and other times he bristled.</p><p><em>I can’t just assume you’re going to find me</em>, he’d say. </p><p>Clint would try to get an arm around his shoulder, and say, <em>We’re the Avengers. We know how to find the people we’re looking for.</em> Though he might add pensively, <em>Or they find us. We’ll make something work. I promise you.</em> He would send peaceful thoughts Bucky’s way and feel the long-haired man curl up against him.</p><p><em>Even if none of it is true</em>, Bucky would finally say, <em>I can believe you for now.</em></p><p>Clint held in a protest and just nodded. <em>That’s right. Just for now. And I’m not leaving. I’ll stay the course. No matter what else happens, you’ve got me, okay?</em></p><p>Bucky watched him, and seemed to not know what to say, but he curled in on himself a little and let the flow of the soft thoughts encircle him. After a while he looked back up at Clint and nodded. <em>Yeah. I believe that too</em>, he admitted.</p><p>And at least there was trust. </p><p>When Bucky had room for it.</p><p><em>I’m right here</em>, Clint sent, soft and as gently as he could. And he relished Bucky’s smile in answer.</p><p>***</p><p>
  <em>Bucky, so, I know you don’t know me from a hole in the wall--</em>
</p><p>
  <em>No, that’s not true, we’re friends now.</em>
</p><p>That still warmed Clint’s heart.</p><p>He smiled. <em>Hey, thanks. Well. I have good spatial awareness. So I’ve been thinking. I might be able to track your location--from in here--if we work with that. I have you in the back of  my head all the time now. And I want--</em> He tried not to think of Bucky’s eyes narrowing. Sending up flares that said he’d gone too far.</p><p><em>I want to see if I can put this to good use. I want you out of there, Bucky. So let me know--if you think you can work with me on this</em>. He kept his proposal general and still soft. And he waited.</p><p>Bucky relaxed all in an instant. <em>I knew I found the right person. I knew it. I knew it.</em></p><p>Clint flushed, and he wondered if Bucky could see it or not. <em>I’ll do my best</em>, he sent.</p><p>
  <em>An Avenger’s best is pretty damn good.</em>
</p><p>Now maybe Bucky was getting it.</p><p>As long as Clint didn’t do anything to disappoint him.</p><p>
  <em>Clint, I feel that.</em>
</p><p>Shit.</p><p>
  <em>Bucky, I…</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You aren’t going to be a disappointment. You don't have to be Steve. Or anyone else that you’re not. I know you're not Steve. And  you know he’d say the same.  You're the one who showed up and decided to stay and help. Right? </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yeah.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Are you lonely too, Clint?</em>
</p><p>Clint's heart thudded in his chest.<em> I….</em></p><p>Maybe if the speed of telepathy was slower, Bucky wouldn’t have asked that quest--</p><p><em>Sorry</em>, Bucky added. <em>I didn’t mean to bother you like that. It’s just.</em></p><p>Clint’s heart was still thudding.</p><p>
  <em>We can just. Whatever you were thinking of--I’m sure you have a great plan. I’m sorry, Clint.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I am. Lonely, I mean. Yeah. I-- Not all the time. But I guess…</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I just asked because. Well. You stayed.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Any of us would have stayed.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I know.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>We’re Avengers.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I know.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And we love you because Steve loves you. I mean, we love you because you’re Bucky. I uh…</em>
</p><p>Bucky’s smile was a little bit sad around the edges. <em>It’s okay.</em></p><p><em>Hey.</em> Clint got an arm around his shoulders again, even if he wasn’t sure if Bucky would be able to feel that kind of thing physically. <em>Let’s just sit here for a minute and breathe, okay?</em></p><p>Bucky brightened a little and nodded. He could see Bucky leaning into him a little bit and imagined he could feel the pressure against his body.</p><p>So they just held on to each other.</p><p>In all the ways that mattered most.</p><p>***</p><p>Once they were, they didn’t want to let go. Either one of them.</p><p>Bucky was bony and thin in Clint’s arms but it just made Clint want to provide him anywhere soft to land. This time he didn’t try to hold back the grief that welled up in his chest and throat. If anything he hoped Bucky would lean closer--and then he did.</p><p><em>I have you, okay? I’m here</em>, Clint was saying. <em>We can work on things later.</em></p><p><em>This is amazing</em>, Bucky answered. <em>It’s been… I don’t even know how long.</em></p><p>Clint’s heart was beating fast again and he realized he was completely out of words. Of course he was. Here was Bucky. This was real.</p><p>He just  held on tighter and waited, and then a few more tumbled through his brain. <em>Thank you for letting me help.</em></p><p>He felt Bucky relax further against him, even if only mind to mind, and he relished how strong all of this was, that it was actually working.</p><p>He would stay like this forever. He…<em>loved</em> this. And he wouldn’t examine that too closely.</p><p>Bucky’s eyes were closed, and he sleepily encircled Clint once more. Clint felt his heart swell.</p><p>***</p><p>When they were both reaching wakefulness again, Clint still didn’t want to pull away, but he imagined there were Avengers who needed to know what Clint knew, or at least could find out. </p><p>He swam back up to full consciousness and softly settled on calling Bucky’s name. </p><p>All the same, he imagined it was loud enough internally for Bucky, because he opened his eyes with a groan. </p><p><em>I’m still right here</em>, Clint said. <em>How are you feeling?</em> Even though he didn’t really have to ask the question, asking anyway seemed wise, or maybe just considerate.</p><p>
  <em>Hurt all over. It’s so awful here.</em>
</p><p>Something suddenly occurred to Clint. He didn’t need his blanket right now, much less its mental equivalent. So he imagined it draped around Bucky’s shoulders.</p><p>
  <em>How’s that?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Oh. I was so cold. I am so cold. It’s. It’s good.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Bucky. Are you ready to try what we were talking about? Steve needs to know a few--</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I don’t know. I’m. I don’t know.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Well, rest in the blanket. When you’re ready, I can explain what I’m thinking before we try anything.</em>
</p><p>But Bucky was getting more and more nervous. <em>Maybe this is all I can-- I mean this is-- Are you leaving?</em></p><p>
  <em>No, Bucky. I promise. Okay? Have I left yet?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>No.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Rest, Bucky. I’ll try to help you get warm.</em>
</p><p>And that’s what Clint set about trying to do.</p><p>***</p><p><em>Warm enough?</em> Clint asked, keeping his voice low and gentle.</p><p>
  <em>I’m...you’re...amazing. Yes. I’m finally warm.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Okay, Bucky. Just keep reminding yourself, all right? Are you ready to try something?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It doesn’t involve you leaving?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>No. I’ll be moving around a little. Trying some things in my apartment. Okay?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Okay.</em>
</p><p><em>And as soon as we figure out how this works, we’re coming to get you. I promise, Bucky.</em> Tears filled his eyes and Bucky looked up at him, surprised.</p><p><em>The Avengers</em>, he explained, <em>We’re a...well a family. Three Muskateers. Just. More Muskateers than that. We don’t leave anyone behind. And you’re… you’re… We count you, Bucky. So we’ll get you home. Are you ready?</em></p><p>
  <em>I don’t know. I think maybe.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Let’s try something.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Okay.</em>
</p><p>Clint gingerly stood up, still standing beside Bucky in the mental version he had of Bucky’s cell. He focused deeply on his spatial awareness. Then, in the physical world, he pulled himself back to his very full apartment with the Avengers milling around inside, drinking coffee and whispering.</p><p><em>People</em> he signed sharply, and they all watched, with Steve translating the signs directly into English. <em>I gotta try some things to see if I can get a lock on his location.</em></p><p>In his mind, he could sense Bucky shaking even under the mental version of the red blanket. He put a hand out to offer Bucky steadiness. <em>Just going to move around a little bit, Buck.</em></p><p>He crossed his apartment and pulled a compass out of a drawer, putting it in his pocket so he could still sign: <em>Never know when you’re gonna need one of these</em>. </p><p>The air lightened around him and he could imagine his team smiling or laughing a little, but his focus was still on Bucky.</p><p>Bucky looked miserable. He pulled the blanket tighter around himself and Clint could see fear in his eyes so he tried again: <em>Right here, Bucky. This’ll take a minute, I swear. If I’m right then….</em> </p><p>Clint took a few steps backward and watched Bucky’s face, then the needle on the compass.</p><p><em>Does this feel farther?</em> he asked Bucky.</p><p>
  <em>Yes.</em>
</p><p><em>Okay, but I’m right here.</em> He moved closer to Bucky again, in actual physical space, and the needle moved.</p><p>West.</p><p>Well that part wasn’t surprising. They were in New York, after all. But the important thing about this was that he could tell where he was in relation to Bucky.</p><p>Emotion shown plain on Bucky’s face. Still, Clint knew he was holding a lot of it back.</p><p>Not daring to hope.</p><p>
  <em>The sooner we do this the sooner we find you.</em>
</p><p><em>You’re dedicated</em>, Bucky offered. But he was shaking again, and  looked starving.</p><p>Clint signed to Steve: <em>He’s west of here</em></p><p><em>Tell him we’ll leave tonight</em> Steve said. <em>If you’re in good enough shape?</em></p><p>
  <em>Yeah. I am. I’ll tell him. Steve?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yeah?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I told  him the team is a family and we don’t leave anyone behind. That includes him.</em>
</p><p>Clint didn’t know anyone alive who didn’t like it when Steve Rogers smiled.</p><p>
  <em>We’re on our way, Bucky. We’re leaving tonight. We’re headed for you.</em>
</p><p>Bucky smiling, though, was maybe the best thing Clint had ever seen.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Fic is now currently complete and being posted every other day. The final installment should drop Monday.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bucky was shivering, too, harder than before. Clint got an arm around him again, over the blanket, but Bucky seemed just as cold.</p>
<p><em>Um.</em> Clint felt himself flushing again before he could even ask. <em>Hey, would it help if I...got under here with you?</em></p>
<p>Bucky blinked, and gave Clint a long, considering look with an expression Clint was growing to recognize.</p>
<p>
  <em>Yes, Bucky. I’m really asking. If you think it would help--</em>
</p>
<p>There was an ache in Bucky’s eyes and he reached for Clint over the blanket and then Clint lifted the red fabric just enough to get close to Bucky again and settle them inside of it. <em>Okay?</em></p>
<p>
  <em>More than okay.</em>
</p>
<p>Clint pulled him in close and felt his heart settle. <em>Gotcha.</em></p>
<p><em>I know</em>, the thought was soft and peaceful.</p>
<p><em>We could use pillows too. I’ll make it happen.</em> And then there they were.</p>
<p>Still in his mind, Clint pulled out the compass and kept watch on it. Hopefully he could keep directing Steve without having to give this up.</p>
<p>He should be scared in here, but he wasn’t. If anyone came near Bucky’s cell now he would do his damnedest to neutralize them and that would be that. But it was night, and besides, they couldn’t see that Bucky wasn’t alone anymore.</p>
<p>They were as safe as they could be, for now.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Steve and Clint were sitting together in the middle seat of a nondescript van. This would be fine for transport for now. Clint was holding the physical compass that he had started with. He was signing furiously back and forth with Steve, who was offering directions and compass points to the teammates in the front in charge of actual navigation. There would be time for backseat driving jokes later. </p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Clint could tell that Bucky was finally getting warm, and even relaxing outright. There were moments when he focused too hard on the physical reality in front of him and went stock still again, but for the most part he seemed able to focus on the fact that Clint was there, and Clint was grateful for that.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Clint watched the frustration wash over Steve’s face when he realized how easy it was to track where Bucky was now that they had a lock on his location. The place they were keeping Bucky wasn’t even far from where Steve knew the lay of the land. Clint had first imagined some far off desert location but the truth of it was they hadn’t even needed to do any of that.</p>
<p>Of course they hadn’t. So many of the things they’d made Bucky do were close enough to home that--</p>
<p><em>DAMMIT</em> Steve signed.</p>
<p>Clint blew out a breath silently to mirror Steve’s frustration. <em>I know. I’ve got him. Listen, I’ve got him and he’s okay. We’ll be with him tonight. I promise, Steve.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>I just feel so…</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Breathe, Steve. We’ve got him. We found him. C’mon, Cap.</em>
</p>
<p>Something about being addressed in his formal, official capacity snapped Steve immediately into the present and he nodded. <em>Okay. Thanks, Clint.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Any time.</em>
</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>
  <em>We’re so close to you, Bucky. I can tell. We’re almost there. Physically. It’s going to be over soon. I promise.</em>
</p>
<p>Something about that overwhelmed Bucky. Clint could have, but he didn’t expect tears in Bucky’s eyes from being so close to freedom. </p>
<p>The thought of making Bucky cry was ripping him open a little inside. <em>Hey, don’t.</em> It didn’t help much. Then something occurred to Clint. <em>Not too loud, right? They could hear you. Lean into me, okay?</em></p>
<p>Bucky buried his face against Clint’s shoulder and when Clint ran a hand through Bucky’s hair Bucky didn’t pull away.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p><em>Not leaving, Bucky</em>, Clint sent softly through Bucky’s thoughts. <em>But we’ll be here soon and we’ll have to fight so...don’t be afraid. I won’t really be going anywhere. Just concentrating.</em></p>
<p>Bucky nodded. <em>I believe you</em>, he said, resolute, and Clint thought that Steve was right. Bucky was strong as hell. Never once did Steve’s understanding of that waver, and Clint was beginning to understand why.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I went back and forth on if I wanted to post today, so originally thought I would not. I would like to get this all posted by Sunday (as you might be able to tell I'm not good at weekly chapters as a thing). So here we are. Two more to go after this one.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The team came into formation in front of the building. Steve and Clint were both still signing furiously, and the rest were following them as Steve took the proper directions from Clint. Some things were easier to dodge than others. It was true Bucky didn’t know a ton about the inside of the building, but Clint was a person who relied on visual and spatial information to communicate the barest concepts, so his snap judgments once they were inside were paying off.</p>
<p>Of course, eventually it was clear that someone--several someones--were in the building.</p>
<p>At least a few of the goons thought they would head for this prisoners, but Bucky stayed as quiet as he could and, in his mind, was holding onto Clint for dear life. If they weren’t careful, they would drag Bucky somewhere and then--</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Steve slammed several Nazis at once with his shield, knowing the vibranium was strong enough to give them a concussion.  While Steve was keeping them occupied, Clint ran ahead, heart beating a mile a minute as the other Avengers started fighting in earnest. Clint’s bow and arrows were ready too, but first in his mind was getting to Bucky before anyone else did.</p>
<p>He didn’t have super speed and he’d left behind Steve’s shield, but he knew where he was going. </p>
<p>He knew enough.</p>
<p>
  <em>I’m in the building, Bucky. I’m really close now. Keep holding on. To me, to anything.</em>
</p>
<p><em>I’ll never let you go</em>, Bucky said, all emotion and earnestness. <em>I feel you coming closer. You found it!</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Told you we could.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Clint, I--</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Be right there. Just hold on.</em>
</p>
<p>As much as he could he focused on not letting go of Bucky even as he ran. </p>
<p>He hadn’t thought about the bars, though.</p>
<p>Until he realized that Hulk was right behind him, following him with a singular purpose--and yeah--he could handle that.</p>
<p>Hydra bodies were flying everywhere. And Hulk was pulling the doors off of prison cells one by one until he finally got to the one Clint could see from both angles.</p>
<p>Steve caught up to Clint just in time to see Bucky come running as fast as he could, and Clint opened his arms wide and pulled him close.</p>
<p>Bucky’s heart was beating fast. Clint could feel the next thing he did too: Reaching to the side and finding Steve’s hand and squeezing it.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>They’d cleared the building pretty efficiently with the help of Hulk. No one on the team was particularly concerned with Hulk wrecking this prison camp. The way out was easier. But they knew not to celebrate yet, not until Bucky was truly safe.</p>
<p>Clint and Steve each took a side and supported Bucky as they ran for cover, and then sat in the back for the ride home as well so that Bucky could rest easily.</p>
<p>Clint still had the mental tether to Bucky, and he talked quietly to him through the bond the whole way home.</p>
<p>Bucky was holding onto Steve’s hand for all he was worth, with amazement in his heart that Clint could feel. Even though there were other emotions, telling him Bucky felt everything was surreal and maybe even strange. This was something Bucky never thought he would have a chance to do again.</p>
<p>But while holding onto Steve for all he was worth he was also leaning into Clint’s shoulder. And Clint felt when Steve leaned in his direction too, so that they were both shielding Bucky with their bodies as much as they were able to.</p>
<p>And it was then that tears leaked out of Bucky’s eyes. He didn’t say anything. Maybe he couldn’t right now, which was something Clint could relate to. But all three of them held on for all they were worth. And it would have to be enough.</p>
<p><em>Your place, Barton?</em> Steve asked, and Clint blinked. But he let himself nod all the same, while his heart thudded in his chest.</p>
<p>
  <em>For now?</em>
</p>
<p>Steve smiled. And it was a genuine Steve smile, a smile that said he trusted Clint, trusted this. <em>He needs you. You can help him recover. I know you can</em>, Steve signed. <em>Anything else is gravy. Let’s just get Bucky home.</em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They got Bucky into his apartment, both Clint and Steve supporting him physically the whole way. They settled him in a safe place to rest and then Steve made a motion as if to say he’d see himself out. He squeezed Bucky’s hand wordlessly and whispered, “I know Clint’s got you, okay?” and Bucky leaned into Clint again, and nodded.</p><p><em>I’ll be back</em>, Steve signed, and then repeated it to Bucky, and Bucky let out a contented sigh that Clint didn’t hear but could see in the lines of Bucky’s body. </p><p>Bucky’s smile was real, although his face was thin and pale around the expression of relief.</p><p>The door shut behind Steve.</p><p>And then they were in the quiet together, and Bucky looked around the apartment for the first time.</p><p>
  <em>The red blanket.</em>
</p><p>Somehow, Bucky actually signed the words, and the idea of Bucky <em>really</em> picking up sign in the middle of abject hell was...well, that was a lot. So much to take in. There was something special about Bucky Barnes. </p><p>Steve had always known, and he’d been damn right.</p><p><em>Let’s get you under it, huh?</em> Clint replied. <em>And I’ll get you some food--Jesus, Bucky.</em></p><p>
  <em>Yeah. Food..yeah. Not too heavy though? I don’t wanna lose it.</em>
</p><p>Clint nodded. There was a very real possibility they would have to do a good amount of trial and error. </p><p>Bucky was home, but he would have a long road ahead of him..</p><p>Strong as hell, though. Clint would never let himself forget it.</p><p>It was strength that let him smile like that, even with the team around him keeping him safe. It was strength that gave him hope.</p><p> </p><p> <em>Clint. I’ll never forget what you did.</em></p><p>Clint’s heart swelled.</p><p>
  <em>I mean it. Never.</em>
</p><p>So Bucky felt much the same way. He added more. <em>And I um...will you…?</em></p><p>
  <em>What?</em>
</p><p>Bucky lowered his eyes just slightly but kept signing and sending thoughts as well. <em>Will you get under the blanket with me? Like we did? I-- It’s okay if you want-- Not...to do that, I just--</em></p><p>
  Clint’s stomach leapt into his throat.
</p><p> <em>You saved my life and I just… I just want… A little… It was good being close to you. And being warm.
  </em></p><p><em>
  Bucky, you don’t have to explain. I’ll do</em> anything <em>you need to feel safe and secure.
</em></p><p>
<em>  I…</em>
</p><p><em>
  Anyway, maybe you were right. Maybe we needed each other. I’m right here. Let me…Well maybe you should get under there first, and I’ve got some broth I can make you so you feel at least a little something in there. You might need that first, Buck. But I’m right here.</em>
</p><p>
 Clint settled the red blanket around Bucky. <em>I’ll be as quick as I can and then I’m…I’ll be right back.</em>
</p><p>
As quickly as he could, Clint set broth with crackers in it in front of Bucky.
</p><p>
  He didn’t waste time after that. He pulled the red blanket around them. And then a flood of emotions pulled the next thoughts from him, silent in the room, but potent. <em>Just let me hold you like we did. I promised, Bucky, I’m not leaving.</em>
</p><p>
Clint couldn’t hold back the thought, and he didn’t want to even if he could.
</p><p>
So he didn’t.
</p><p>
 <em>Of course you can</em>, Bucky replied in sign. <em>I know you won’t leave. And Steve’ll be back. Thank you, Clint. Thank you for believing in me this way.</em> And then Bucky settled against him and nothing else mattered.
</p><p>
 Everything else could come second to this moment, right here.
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This was written during a lot of heavy events, for myself, so I turned off comments for a short while. I do hope you like it, I just can't engage right now. Thanks for your understanding, and thanks for reading my Clint stuff! I plan on more! (Comments now back on.)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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